Machine for packing articles into boxes.



No. 68!,300. Patented Aug. 27,1901.

P. BUTLER. MACHINE FOR PACKING ARTICLES INTO BOXES.

(Application filed. Jan. 9, 1899.)

4 Sheets$haet I.

(No Model.)

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Nu. 68l,300. Patented Aug. 27, 1901.

- P. BUTLER.

MACHINE FDR PACKING ARTICLES INTO BOXES.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.) (No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 681,300. Patented Aug. 27, l90l. P. BUTLER. MACHINE FUR PACKINGARTICLES INTO BOXES.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

7% wy y wa No. 68!,300. Patenfod Aug. 27, 190:.

P. BUTLEB. MACHINE. FOR PACKING ARTICLES INTU BOXES.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.)

\ (No Model.) 4 Sheets$heet 4.,

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FFKGE.

PAUL BUTLER, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS,

MACHINE FOR PACKING ARTICLES INTO BOXES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 681,300, dated August27, 1901. Application filed January 9, 1899. Serial No. 701 ,658. (N0model.)

'To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, PAUL BUTLER,of Lowell, county of Middlesex, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines forPacking Articles into Boxes, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to a machine for packing articles intoboxes, and is herein shown as embodied in a machine especially designedfor packing metallic cartridges, although with slight modifications itmay be easily adapted for packing other similar articles.

The machine embodying theinvention comprises what may be convenientlytermed an arranging device adapted to receive cartridges or otherarticles uniformly fed thereto and to arrange the articles in lines orcolumns, as may be desired, and a transferring device to transferarticles thus arranged to the box which is to be packed, a suitablereceiver, as it may be called, being shown as employed to receive thearticles directly from the arranging device, the articles beingdelivered from said receiver to the boxes, which are also suitably fedto the machine. As herein shown, the receiver is arranged to travel andconstitutes also a carrier or forwarding device. These elements orinstrumentalities are arranged to operate automatically and are so timedas to cooperate in the several operations, the machine thus beingcompletely automatic, receiving cartridges or similar articles uniformlyfed thereto and boxes to receive the said cartridges and delivering theboxes with the cartridges packed therein, the operation being continuousand going as long as the machine is kept supplied with cartridges andboxes.

In packing cartridges it is customary, in

- order that they may be closely packed in the boxes, to invertalternate cartridges in a layer or line, so that the bullet end of onewill be adjacent to the flanged end of another, in order that theflanges may occupy the space afforded by the tapered end of the bullet.The arranging device, therefore, is adapted not only to separate thecartridges into a series of lines or columns, but also to invert everyother cartridge in a line, so that when the cartridges are delivered tothe forwarding device they will lie snugly together in lines or layerswith the flanged end of one adjacent to the bullet end of another. thispurpose the arranging device comprises a traveling member, preferablyconsisting of a rotatable disk, and the said traveling member isprovided with several series of recesses, each one of the seriescorresponding to a line of cartridges, said recesses being adapted toreceive a cartridge each from a suitable feeding device during thetravel of the carrier, and every other recess is so arranged thatthecartridge contained therein during the further travel of the carrierwill be acted upon by inverting devices which turn over or invert thecartridge therein prior to its delivery to the transferring device. Thecartridges thus arranged are caused to pass from the carrier into apassage or guideway,through which they are propelled by the movement ofthe carrier, and the said guideway leads toward a supplemental arrangingand compacting device comprising a traveling member having a series ofchannels equal in number to the number of lines of cartridges which areto be placed in the box and of such length as to receive the number ofcartridges which are to be in each line. The said supplemental arrangingdevice is provided with intermittent feed mechanism adapted to bring thechannels consecutively into line with the passage leading from thecarrier, the initial position of said supplemental arranging devicebeing such that the first channel of the series is in line with saidpassage. As the carrier rotates, therefore, a number of cartridges arepressed forward into the said first channel, and as soon as the saidchannel is filled the feed takes place to present the next channel. Toaccommodate the feed movement, there is a slight dwell in the forwardmovement of the line of cartridges,'this dwell being preferably providedfor by having a space between adjacent series of recesses upon thecarrier, so that although the said carrier rotates continuously therewill be a brief interval after a series of recesses has passed theguideway when no cartridges are deflected Forfrom the carrier into theguideway, the result being that the line of cartridges in the guidewaywill remain stationary.

The operation above described continues until all of the channels in thesupplemental arranging device are filled, at the end of which time thetransferring device operates to trans fer the cartridges in saidchannels to the receiver or forwarding device, which has a recess orchamber substantially equal in size to that of the box in which thecartridges are to be packed, so as to retain the cartridges arranged inproper order. The walls of the receptacle which constitutes thesupplemental arranging device converge toward the Walls of the receiver,so that as the articles are transferred to the receiver they will becompacted, so to speak, the receiver, as stated, being substantially thesize of the box and only large enough to hold the requisite num ber ofcartridges when the cartridges are as close together as possible. Thesaid forwarding device preferably consists of a rotatable wheel havingthe chambers or recesses aforesaid arranged along its periphery, whichis adjacent to the supplemental arranging device, the transferringdevice comprising a reciprocating member or members arranged to engagethe cartridges at both ends of the columns and to move said cartridgestransversely from the arranging device to the forwarding device, theengagement at both ends being for the purpose of preventing thecartridges from tipping over as they are pushed toward the receiver. Assoon as the cartridges are transferred to the forwarding device the feedmovement of the latter takes place, carrying forward the cartridgestransferred thereto and bringing the .next recess into line with thesupplemental arranging device ready to receive the next instalment ofcart-ridges. In the continued forward movement of the forwarding devicethe cartridges are inserted in the box, the forwarding device beingshown as so arranged that the cartridges project beyond the mainperiphery of said forwarding'device and in the travel thereof engage theinner surface of the side or end of the box, which is fed to a positionadjacent to the forwarding device as through a suitable chute, the boxbeing carried forward in such movement with the cartridges projectinginto the same. The box-chute terminates at a point below the forwardingdevice, so that it finally rests on its bottom below the same, thecartridges remaining in the box and falling from the forwarding deviceby force of gravity.

The invention further relates to certain novel details of constructionand arrangement, which will be hereinafter described.

Figurel is a top plan view of a machine embodying theinvention, shown asespecially designed for packing metallic cartridges in boxes. Fig. 2 isa sectional view of the same, taken just below the upper frame-plate,showing most of the operating mechanism in plan.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line :0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is asectional detail of the forwarding device. Fig. 5 is an enlargedsectional detail of the feed-chute and a portion of the carrier or mainarranging device, showing the construction of a device for stopping orarresting the machine when there are no cartridges present in thefeed-chute; Fig. 6, a perspective view, on a still larger scale, of aportion of said arresting device. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 aresectional details, lines m 00 &c., Fig. 1, illustrating the manner inwhich the cartridges are turned over or inverted during the travel ofthe main arranging device or carrier.

The machine is herein shown as adapted to pack fifty cartridges in abox, the cartridges being arranged in the box in five rows, each rowcontaining ten cartridges, it.

being obvious, however, that any other arrangement desired may beprovided for without departing from the invention. In the constructionshown the main arranging device, which will be hereinafter referred toas the carrier a, comprises a disk mounted on a shaft a and arranged tobe driven, as by a bevel-gear a dotted lines, Fig. 2, from a maindriving-shaft A, provided with a similar bevel-gear A and mounted inbearings A suitably positioned at a point below the main portion of themachine. The said shaft A is arranged to be driven by a pulley A, whichbears on the cone A Fig. 2, frictionally engaging the same, so as toproperly drive the machine, but adapted to slip when the machine isacted. upon by the arresting device, as will be hereinafter described.The said carrier (1 is provided with a number of recesses a and a, eachadapted to receive a cartridge from the feed-chute b as the carriertravels, the said recesses being shown as arranged along the margin ofthe carrier adjacent to which the feed-chute b terminates. The recessesare shown as arranged in groups, the number in each group being equal tothe number of cartridges which are to be arranged in line, there beingten recesses in each group, as herein shown. The chute is shown asconsisting of a pair of guide-strips separated by a distancesubstantially equal to the diameter of the body of the cartridge, sothat a cartridge placed therein bullet down will be supported by itsflange upon the said strips and will drop into a recess bullet end down.

As has already been stated, in arranging the cartridges it is desirablethat adjacent cartridges should be inverted with relation to each other,and to this end the machine is provided with means for overturning everyother cartridge of each series or row after it is delivered to thecarrier. For this purpose the recesses a are somewhat different in shapeand arrangement from the recesses a*, the latter comprising merelynotches in the edge of the carrier substantially equal in width to thediameter of the body of the cartridge, so

that the said cartridge when delivered thereto from the chute will fitinto the said recess and be supported by its flange upon the carrier ator near the edge thereof. The recesses a, on the other hand, aresomewhat larger than the recesses a the width of said recesses 05 in themain portion thereof being substantially equal to the diameter of theflange, so that the cartridge is free to drop through the said recessesand to be supported upon the plate or table 0, which underlies thecarrier a and constitutes the top member of the frame. In the travel ofthe carrier, therefore, the cartridges which enter the recesses (1,instead of being supported by the carrier itself are supported upon thetable 0, but are engaged and carried forward by the carrier and in thisforward movement are overturned or inverted, as follows: The table 0 isprovided below the carrier with an engaging portion or shouldertangential to the direction of movement of the carrier, Fig. 1, the saidengaging portion being shown as the wall or edge of a groove or recess 0so that as the said carrier rotates and the bullet portion of thecartridge travels along the said shoulder the tendency will be to dragthe bullet portion out from under the body portion until the cartridgeis finally thrown upon its side and rolled along by the carrier.

To assist in throwing down the cartridge, the table a is shown asprovided with an inclined inverting member 0 consisting of a rodprojecting across the surface of said table below the carrier andarranged to engage the bullet portion of the cartridge as the lattermoves toward the same, it being obvious, however, that this member isnot essential, since the walls of the groove alone are capable ofperforming the same function.

In order to prevent the cartridge from slipping ont of the recess a theinlet to said recess from the feed-chute is shown as substantially lessin diameter than the diameter of the flange portion of the cartridge, sothat when the cartridge is on its side the flange contained in the mainportion of the recess will prevent the cartridge from moving outendwise.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8, &c., it will be seen that a cartridge droppedfrom the chute into one of the recesses 00 will fall into the positionshown in Fig. 7, with its bullet end resting in the groove 0 and as thecarrier advances the cartridge will be carried to the position shown inFig. 8, the inverting-rod a acting thereon until the cartridge is thrownon its side, as shown in Fig. 9. In order to again restore the cartridgeto a vertical position, with the flange end down, the support 0 is shownas provided with a lifting device, shown as an inclined surface 0 upwhich the said bullet end of the cartridge rides until the saidcartridge tinally. rests on its flanged end, as shown in Fig. 11. Inorder that the flanged end of the cartridge may drop below the bulletend, and thereby assist the operation of raising the latter, the tableis preferably, though not essentially, provided with a groove or channel0 into which the said flanged end drops as the cartridge is rolled alongthe support. The surface of the said groove is inclined upward in thedirection of travel of the carrier, finally terminating at the level ofthe table 0, so that the cartridge is finally carried forward in theposition shown in Fig. 12.

The cartridges, as already stated, are preferably fed by gravity, thelowermost cartridge resting against the periphery of the carrier anddropping into a recess when such recess comes in line withthe end of thechute. The recesses a extend inward a distance which is substantiallyequal to the diameter of the cartridge, so that when one cartridge hasentered a recess the remainder of the cartridges in the chute aresupported by the cartridge in the recess until the said recess haspassed the chute. In the case of the recesses 01, on the other hand, themain portion of the recess is farther in from the periphery in order toafford the contracted mouth or passage which prevents the cartridgesfrom slipping out endwise during the inverting process. In order,therefore, to prevent more than one cartridge from entering one of thesaid recesses a, the chute b is provided at its end with a guard barranged to engage a cartridge entering the said recess, the distancebetween the said guard and the periphery of the carrier beingsubstantially equal to the diameter of the cartridge, so as to preventothers from following, as described in conjunctionwith the recesses a.To insure the proper insertion of the cartridge into the main portion ofthe recess after the said recess has passed the guard, a spring-pusher bis shown as connected with the chute Z) to engage the cartridge andforce the same into the body of the recess, so that it will properlyrest upon the support 0 and be invert-ed, as hereinbefore described. Inthe travel of the carrier the cartridges in the recesses a are supportedabove the table 0 and do not project downward far enough to be actedupon by the inverting devices and are consequently carried forward justas they are received.

In conjunction with the chute b the machine is provided with an.arresting device which is adapted to stop the operation of the machineas soon as the chute Z) is empty, the said arresting device being shownas consisting of a stop d, arranged to cooperate with any of a number ofholes or openings a in the carrier a, the said stop being shown asmounted on a lever (1 pivoted at d and arranged to be pressed toward thesaid openings by means of a spring d the said lever and spring beingshown as mounted on a bracket d suitably secured upon the support 0. Tohold the said lever in normal position, with the stop d out ofengagement with the openings a the said lever is shown as acted upon byan arm d pivoted at d to the chute b and arranged to be acted upon by anelbow-lever d through the agency of a link d", the said elbow-leverhaving a projection or tongue 01 overlying the chute and arranged to besupported in the position shown in Fig. 5 by the cartridges in thechute. To prevent the tongue 01 from beinglifted beyond its normalposition, (which would lift the link d and lower the stop 61,) the saidtongue is arranged to cooperate with a stop 01 which prevents the tonguefrom movement in one direction, while the cartridges prevent itsmovement in the other direction. For convenience in lifting the tonguefrom the chute when cartridges are to be fed the device is provided witha handle 61 So long, therefore, as there is a line of cartridges passingdown the chute the stop 01 will be held away from the surface of thecarrier ct; butas soon as the supply of cartridges in the chute becomesexhausted the tongue (Z will drop, permitting the lever d to rock inresponse to its spring and causing the stop 61 to be forced toward thesurface of the carrier a, so that as soon as one of the openings apasses under the said stop the latter will drop into said opening andlock the carrier, thus stopping the machine, as permitted by thefriction driving connection hereinbefore described. To prevent thecartridges from being crowded out of the chute, the guard 19 is arrangedto extend along the chute over the supports, said guard being shown assecured to one of the said supports by a screw 19 To support a column ofshells in the chute when the machine is not operating or when it isdesired to rot-ate the carrier until it is emptied, the chute isprovided with a hinged gate or guard b adapted to close the outlet ordelivery end of the chute.

The cartridges being arranged in lines in the carrier, as described, areejected therefrom by means of a suitable ejector, shown as a cam orinclined surface e, consisting of anarrow blade or strip of metalextending into a horizontal channel a, cut in from the periphery of thecarrier completely around the same, as indicated by the dotted line,Fig. 1, so as to engage the cartridges substantially at the middlethereof and exert an even pressure thereon as they move forward in thecarrier. For convenience the carrier is made in two parts, as shown inFigs. '7 to 13, and the slot at is made by cutting away a portion of thelowerpart. To properly act upon the cartridges which rest upon theirflanges on the table 0, a supplemental cam e is shown as secured to thesurface of the table a, Fig. 13, and underlying an annular undercutportion or recess a formed along the under side of the carrier andextending completely around the same, said supplemental cam engaging theflange and preventing the cartridge from being tipped over, as mightotherwise occur. The cartridges thus ejected or delivered from thecarrier pass into a passage or guideway a which is just wide enough tocontain a single line or column of cartridges and long enough to containthe number of cartridges which are to be arranged in a line or amultiple of such member, the capacity of said guideway being hereinshown as fifty cartridges, or enough to completely fill a box. In thetravel of the carrier, therefore, a line of cartridges will be forcedinto the said guideway from the recesses a a, the cartridges as fast asthey enter pushing the other car tridges before them until the saidpassage is full and contains, say, fifty cartridges. Prior to packingcartridges in the boxes, however, it is necessary to break up the columnof cartridges into sections, there being, as already stated, five ofsuch sections or lines, each containing ten cartridges, in the manner ofpacking herein shown. To this end the cartridges are caused to travelfrom the guideway into the supplemental arranging device f, whichcomprises a reciprocating member or box having five parallellongitudinal channels f fif, f and f arranged to consecutively come inline with the end of the guideway 6 At the time when the guideway 8 isfull-that is to say, contains fifty cartridgesthe passage f is in linetherewith, it being obvious, therefore, that as the carrier rotates andforces ten more cartridges into the passage an equal number will beforced out of the passage into the channel f The guideway is employedmerely for convenience in the arrangement of the operating mechanism andmay be dispensed with, it being obvious that with slight modificationsthe cartridges could be transferred directly from the main to thesupplemental arranging device.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that if the carrier rotates fromthe position shown therein far enough to cause the two cartridges at theentrance of the guideway e to be forced into the same the two cartridgesat the end of the column in the guideway Q will be forced into thechannel f pushing forward the cartridges already therein and completelyfilling the said channel. As soon as the saidchannel is filled it isnecessary to feed forward the supplementalarranging device to bring thechannel f in line with the passage e The feeding is herein shown as.accomplished through the agency ofa camf",1nounted on the shaft 0?, thesaid cam having a series of inclined surfaces equal in number to thenumber of channels in the devicef and arranged to act upon the saiddevice through the agency of a lever f provided withja camroll f andheld against the periphery of the cam by means of a spring f the saidlever being pivoted at f to the under side of the .support 0 andconnected with the devicefat f As herein shown, the said device fisprovided With'a stem or projection f engaging an elongated slot f in thelever f to compensate for the difference in the direction of movement ofthe lever and that of the member f. The stem f projects through asuitable slot f in the table 0, and the device f is arranged to travelin a guide-channel formed in the surface of the table 0, as shown inFig. 1. i

It is essential during the feed operation that there should be a slightdwell in the forward movement of the column of cartridges while the feedmovement actually takes place, and this is accomplished, as hereinshown, by dividingthe recessesin the carrierinto groups, which areseparated by the requisite amount of space, it being obvious that afterthe last cartridge of one group has been forced into the passage 6 thecartridges in said passage will not be acted upon or pushed forwarduntil the first cartridge in the next group is forced into the same. Asthe operation continues the successive feed movements are produced bythe cam, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, until the supplemental arrangingdevicef contains fifty cartridges ready to be transferred to the box inwhich they are to be packed.

In inserting the cartridges into the transferring device the forwardones are prevent; ed from falling by means of a retardingspring f,curved so as to form a series of spring-pockets, one for each cartridge,the said spring being connected at one end with the passage 6 and at theother end with a portion of the frame, so as to be stationary and tocooperate with the cartridges entering each of the five passagessuccessively. The cartridges thus arranged and fed forward are thenacted upon by the transferring device and moved to the forwardingdevice, from which they are directly inserted into the boxes, and inorder that they may be compactly held together one wall of the box orreceptacle, which constitutes the supplemental arranging device, isinclined, as shown in Fig. 1, .so that the walls of the box convergetoward the receiver, and the partitions between the channels are made ofthin division-strips, which may advantageously be of spring metal,separated a sufficient distance to receive the cartridges between them,so that the cartridges as they are pressed out of the box are closelypacked together or condensed by the inclined or converging walls of thebox. The strips are secured only at the end of the supplementalarranging device where they enter the same and are free to movelaterally throughout nearly their entire length, the purpose of the saidstrips being merely to afford a straight guiding-surface for theincoming column of cartridges instead of the corrugated surfacepresented by the cartridges in the line previously inserted. The stripsare made as thin as possible and the cartridges, with the strips betweenthem, are practically as compact as they are when in the box. As thecartridges are pushed out of the supplemental arranging device andcrowded together or compacted by the action of the convergent walls thedivision-strips yield to admit of such compacting action and do not inany way interfere with such action.

In order that the cartridges may lie in a compact mass in the box, it isnecessary not only that the cartridges in a line should alternate inposition, as has already been described, but also that the adjacentcartridges in two lines which lie side by side should likewisealternate. This is accomplished, as shown, by properly arranging therecesses a and a along the carrier, one series of recesses beginningwith a recess of one kind and the next series beginning with a recess ofthe other kind, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the arrangement shown the first recess of the first series isarranged to carry forward a cartridge, bullet end down, so that, asillustrated in Fig. 1, the first cartridge of the column is bullet enddown, it being necessary, therefore, that the first cartridge of theline which is pushed into the passage f of the supplemental arrangingdevice should be bullet end up. The next series of recesses, therefore,begin with a recess a and the next succeeding series with a recess a asshown, so that the cartridges properly alternate throughout when finallyarranged.

As herein shown, the transferring device comprises a reciprocatingmember g, having a series of fingers 9 one for each column ofcartridges, in the channels f f &c., and being arranged to movetransversely to the feed movement of the device f, so as to act upon thecartridges and push them out of the channels endwise.

In order to prevent the cartridges from tip ping over as they aretransferred from the device f to the forwarding device h, thetransferring device is shown as provided with two sets of fingers gprojecting downward from the supporting portion g and arranged to engagethe lines or columns of cartridges between them. Each set of fingers maybe regarded as constituting a member to engage one end of the set ofcartridges, it being immaterial, of course, whether the said members areconnected together or not, provided that they are capable of travelingtogether. is necessary, however, in the construction shown that thetransferring device should remain in its initial position during thefeed movement of the supplemental arranging device f, so that in suchfeed movement the cartridges will be pushed forward into the spacebetween said fingers. It is also necessary that the said transferringdevice should remain in its abnormal position after the cartridges aretransferred until the said cartridges are carried forward from betweenthe fingers prior to the return movement of the said transferringdevice.

As herein shown, the movement of the transferring device is produced bya cam 9 acting through the agency of a lever g provided with a cam-rollg and pivoted on a stud or projection g from the lower side of the tablec. The said lever is connected with an arm 9 secured toa stud g having asuitable bearing in the said table and projecting through the same, thesaid stud having connected therewith a lever g provided with a slot Q12,engaging a stud or projection 9 suitably secured, as by screws 9 to themember g. The said stud is herein shown as held in the slot by means ofa nut or cap-screw 9 The transferring device is guided and supported inits movement by a guide surface or strip g and is held against the sameby means of a spring g, shown as connected to a pin 9 on the under sideof the lever g As best shown in Fig. 2, the cam g, which is indicated indotted lines, has two abrupt cam-surfaces to produce the movement of themember g in one direction and to permit its movement in the oppositedirection in response to a spring 9 and the said cam is so arranged withrelation to the cam f hereinbefore described, as to cause the device gto move quickly into line with the devicefjust prior to the first feedmovement thereof, the member 9 then remaining stationary in suchposition during the remainder of the feed, but moving quickly-in theopposite direction just prior to the return movement of the member f,which occurs when the cam-surfacef reaches the cam-rollf The receiver orforwarding device h, to which the cartridges are transferred from thesupplemental arranging device f, is shown as consisting of a rotatabledisk or wheel mounted on a spindle 7L2 and provided along its peripherywith a series of recesses 72, of the proper size and shape to containthe requisite number of cartridges arranged forinsertion in the boxes.The said wheel is arranged to have an intermittent feed movement, eachstep of which brings one of the recesses it into line with the finalposition of the device f, so that in the movement of thetransferring'device g the cartridges will be slid out of the channels ff (he, into the recess 71, After such transferring movement the member gdwells in the position shown in Fig. 1 while the feed movement of thewheel It takes place, forwarding the cartridges, which have beentransferred thereto, and bringing an empty recess in line with the finalposition of the member f. The fingers of said member support thecartridges during the feed movement of the wheel, and as the cartridgespass out from between the fingers they are prevented from moving endwiseout of the recesses h by guards h consisting of plates adjacent to thesides of the wheel h. To produce the feed of the member h, the saidmember is shown as provided with a ratchet-wheel 7%, arranged to beoperated upon by the pawl If, shown as pivotally connected to a slide h,having asuitable bearing below the table 0 and provided with a spring7L7, which tends to draw the pawl from one tooth to the next after thefeed movement, which is produced by means of a cam h acting through theagency of the lever h, provided with a cam-roll h and connected with theslide h6 by means of a link k The said lever 71, is herein shown aspivoted upon the stud g which has already been described as constitutingthe support for the lever 9 The cam h is shown as having agradually-inclined surface, so that the feed movement of the forwardingdevice his comparatively slow and causes the cartridges to gently engagethe box in the packing opera tion, as will be hereinafter described. Toaccommodate such movement, the line ofcartridges in the passage e isarranged to dwell stationary for a longer interval after the requisitenumber have been inserted in the supplemental arranging device f thanthat which occurs during the successive feed movements of the saiddevice f. This dwell is provided for by the comparatively long spacebetween the first and the last series of recesses in the carrier at, thefeed movement of the forwarding device h taking place while this part ofthe carrier is passing the guideway e and while the column of shells insaid guideway is consequently stationary. During the last part of suchfeed movement, however, and prior to the return movement of thetransferring device 9 the first series of recesses on the carrier willreach the guideway e and the cartridges from the carrier will begin topush those in the said guideway forward and to fill the first of thechannels in the transferring devicef. The return movement of the member9 will then take place after the feed movement of the member h iscompleted andjust prior to the first forward feed movement of the memberf, the parts being shown in the drawings as at the critical point justprior to the return movement of the member 9 and just after the completefeed of the member h. It will be seen, therefore, that time iseconomized to the fullest extent possible consistent with the slow feedmovement of the forwarding device h, which is necessary to morecertainly prevent any disturbance of the cartridges in the saidforwarding device It and to prevent all likelihood of breaking ortearing the box as the cartridges are transferred thereto.

It is obviously essential that the feed of the member It should bepositive and exact and that the said member should be arrested andfirmly held in the proper position to receive the cartridges from thememberf. To this end the feeding device is so arranged that the wheel ormember h will be positively locked against rotation in either direct-ionat the end of the feed movement, this being accomplished, as shown, bymeans of a locking projection h arranged to travel with the slide hwhich carries the pawl 7L5, the said projection moving, as best shown inFigs. 2 and 3, across the rear wall of one of the recesses h so as to beengaged thereby at the end of the feed movement. As indicated in dottedlines, Fig. 3, the member h is prevented from rearward movement by thepawl 7L5, which is held in position by the cam which operates it andfrom forward movement by the looking projection h As the pawl 7L5 movesback, however, prior to the feed operation the locking projection itwill move out of engagement with the member h, and during such periodthe weight of the cartridges carried by said member h will have atendency to cause a forward rotation thereof independently of the actionof the feeding device. To prevent such rotation, the said member h isshown as secured on its spindle 72, by means of nuts it, between whichand the hub of the wheel 77. are interposed washers h to engage thewheel and to prevent the same from moving, except when acted upon by aconsiderable force, as that imparted to the pawl 71 by itsactuating-cam. The ratchet h is shown as secured to the hub of the wheelh by means of screws it, one of the washers 71 bearing directly againstsaid ratchet. The spindle itself is supported in brackets h mounted onthe lower plate m of the frame, and is secured in suitable sockets bymeans of set-screws h", which prevent the rotation of the spindle. Thecartridges having been transferred to the forwarding device, asdescribed, are advanced in the feed movement of said forwarding device,as shown in Fig. 3, and in such movement are inserted into the boxes 1;,which are independently fed into a chute k, down which they descend byforce of gravity. The said chute 7c is adjacent to the periphery of theforwarding device it, and the lowermost box in said chute is supportedby a yielding supporting device t herein shown as a spring-fingerprojecting into the said chute across the path of the boxes. In thetravel of the forwarding device h, therefore, the cartridges whichproject beyond the periphery of said forwarding device will engage theforward wall of the box and will force the same along down the chute,overcoming the stress of the spring-support '6 and carrying along thebox with the cartridges projecting into the same. The chute beyond thispoint is curved to follow the periphery of the forwarding device andprovided with lateral guides so that the box is carried forward until itfinally reaches a point directly below the forwarding device. Thecartridges then settle into the box by force of gravity, and each box ispushed out upon the support m, from which they may be gathered up by theattendant. The said support on is shown as constituting the lower memberof the frame and is connected with the table 0 by means of columns a,held in place by nuts n the main operating portions of the machine beingsupported between the table 0 and the plate m, as best shown in Fig. 4.As soon as the box has been engaged by the cartridges and carriedforward another box drops into its place until arrested by the support2' and is then ready to receive the cartridges which have beentransferred, as above described, from the arranging devices into thenext adjacent recess in the forwarding device.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific constructionand arrangement herein shown and described, since modifications mayobviously be made without departing from the invention.

I claim 1. In an apparatus for packing articles in boxes, thecombination with means for arranging in the shape of the box asufficient number of such articles standing on end to fill the box; of areceiver for the articles thus arranged; means for moving said articleslaterally into said receiver; means for presenting a box to saidreceiver to take the articles therefrom and connecting mechanism wherebythe several parts are arranged to operate consecutively, substantiallyas described.

2. In a machine for packing articles into boxes, a feeding device forsupplying the articles to the machine; means for arranging the articlesto fit the box or package; a receiver or forwarding device; devices forinserting the articles thus arranged into said receiver and fortransferring the articles from said receiver to a box; a box-feedingdevice; and connecting mechanism whereby said parts are caused tooperate consecutively, as set forth.

3. In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, the combination withmeans for arranging the cartridges in parallel lines with the flangedend of one adjacent to the bullet end of the next; of a box-feedingdevice; means for inserting the cartridges thus arranged into a boxpresented by said feeding device and connecting mechanism whereby saidinstrumentalities are caused to cooperate, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for packing articles in boxes, the combination withmeans for arranging the said articles, of a -transferring device to actupon the articles when properly arranged, a receiver for the articles towhich they are transferred by said transferring device; means forpresenting a box to receive the said articles and connecting mechanismwhereby said instrumentalities are caused to cooperate, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a machine for packing articles in boxes, the combination withmeans for arranging the articles to fit the box, of a transferringdevice to act upon the articles so arranged, a forwarding device toreceive the articles from the transferring device, means for presentingthe box to the said forwarding device to receive the articles therefromand connecting mechanism whereby said instrumentalities are caused tocooperate, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, the combination with afeeding device for said cartridges, of an arranging device adapted toreceive the cartridges therefrom and to invert alternate cartridges sothat the bullet end of one will be adjacent to the flanged end ofanother, a supplemental arranging device to arrange the cartridges inlines, means for transferring the cartridges thus arranged into boxesautomatically fed to the machine and connecting mechanism whereby saidinstrumentalities are caused to cooperate, substantially as described.

7. .In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, the combination withan arranging deviceadaptedtoreceivecartridgesuniformly fed thereto andto carry said cartridges forward, of means for inverting alternatecartridges during such forward movement, a supplemental arranging devicecomprising a traveling member having a series of channels to receive thecartridges from said main arranging device, means for intermittin glyfeeding said member until each channel contains a line of cartridges, atransferring device for the cartridges thus arranged, a forwardingdevice to receive the cartridges from said transferring device, afeed-chute for presenting empty boxes to said forwarding device toreceive cartridges therefrom and connecting mechanism whereby saidinstrumentalities are caused to cooperate, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, the combination with anarranging device adapted to receive cartridges uniformly fed thereto andto carry said cartridges forward,means for inverting alternatecartridges during such forward movement, a supplemental arranging devicecomprising a traveling member having a series of channels each adaptedto receive part of the cartridges from said main arranging device asthey are carried forward, means for intermittingly feeding said memberuntil each channel contains a line of cartridges, and means fortransferring the cartridges from said arranging device into a box,substantially as described.

9. In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, the combination with anarranging device adapted to receive cartridges uniformly fed thereto andto carry said cartridges forward, of means for inverting alternatecartridges during such forward movement, a supplemental arranging devicecomprising a traveling member having a series of channels toconsecutively receive the cartridges from said main arranging device,means for intermittingly feeding said member until each channel containsa line of cartridges, a feeding device for empty boxes, and means fortransferring the cartridges from said supplemental arranging member intoa box presented by said feeding device, substantially as described.

10. A machine for packing cartridges in boxes, comprising a travelingcarrier to receive cartridges uniformly fed thereto; recesses formed insaid carrier to receive and support some of the cartridges presentedthereto; other recesses to receive others of the cartridges and to causethem to travel along a fixed support adjacent to the carrier; a shoulderor engaging portion of said fixed support inclined from the direction ofmovement of the carrier to engage the end of the cartridges and tip thesame sidewise; a channel to receive the opposite end of the cartridgesin the further movement of the carrier, and an inclined surface toengage the cartridges and lift one end thereof, the other end resting insaid channel; means for arranging the cartridges carried forward in saidrecesses in lines; and means for transferring the cartridges thusarranged to a box suitably fed to the machine, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, a main arrangingdevice comprising'a continnously-traveling carrier, recesses in saidcarrier to receive cartridges, said recesses being arranged in groupsseparated from each other by a space greater than the space betweenadjacent recesses in any one group, a supplemental arranging devicehaving channels each adapted to contain a number of cartridges equal toa number contained in a single group of recesses in the carrier, meansfor feeding said supplemental arranging device to successively move thechannels therein to a position to receive cartridges from the mainarranging device, means for transferring cartridges from saidsupplemental arranging device to an empty box, and connecting mechanismwhereby all of said instrumentalities are caused to cooperate,substantially as described.

12. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination witha carrier provided with recesses to receive cartridges, of a clearingdevice to eject the cartridges from said recesses in the travel of thecarrier, a guideway to receive cartridges thus ejected, a movable memberprovided with a series of parallel channels arranged to be consecutivelymoved into line with said guideway to receive cartridges therefrom, andmeans for transferring the cartridges from all of said channels at onceto an empty box, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination witha carrier adapted to receive the cartridges fed to the machine, of aclearing device to eject the cartridges from the carrier in the travelthereof, a traveling member having a series of parallel channels adaptedto be consecutively moved into position to receive said cartridges,means for actuating said member, and means for transferring thecartridges from said channels to a box, substantially as described.

14. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination witha carrier provided with recesses to receive cartridges, of a clearingdevice to eject the cartridges from said recesses in the travel of thecarrier,

a guideway to receive cartridges thus ejected,

way to receive cartridges therefrom, a forwarding device comprising atraveling member adjacent to the ends of said channels and having arecess adapted to receive the contents of all of said channels, meansfor transferring the cartridges from said channels to said recess, and afeed-chute for empty boxes adjacent to the said forwarding devicewhereby a box in said chute will receive cartridges from said forwardingdevice in the movement thereof, substantially as described.

15. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, an arranging devicecomprising a member having parallel channels, means for intermittinglyfeeding said member to bring said channels consecutively to a positionto receive cartridges and for restoring the same to its initialposition, a transferring device having fingers to engage the cartridgesat both ends of each channel, a forwarding device adjacent to saidarranging device and having one or more recesses each adapted to receivethe contents of all the channels, intermittent feed mechanism for saidforwarding device, and means for moving the transferring device from thechannels to the forwarding device prior to the return movement of saidarranging device and prior to the feed movement of the forwardingdevice, and for moving the transferring device in the opposite directionafter a feed movement of the forwarding device and prior to the firstfeed movement of the arranging device, substantially as described.

16. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination witha carrier having recesses to receive cartridges, of a feed-chute leadingtoward the said carrier, a

controlling device held in normal position by the cartridges in saidchute, and means for moving said controlling device to arrest thecarrier when not so held, substantially as described.

17. The combination with thecarrier a provided with recesses a and a andwith openings a of the chute b, the stop (1 arranged to cooperate withthe openings (t the supportl ing-lever d for said stop, and the tongue dcooperating with said supporting-lever and adapted to be held in normalposition by the cartridges in the chute, substantially as described.

18. The combination with the carrier a provided with the recesses a andc of the support 0 below said carrier to support the cartridges intherecesses a a tipping device to act on the cartridges moved along saidsupport by said carrier, and means for lifting the bullet end of thecartridge so tipped during the continued forward movement of the carrieruntil said cartridge rests on its flanged end on said support 0,substantially as described.

19. The combination with the carrier provided with marginal recesseshaving a main portion of larger diameter than that of the flanged end ofthe cartridge and a passage quently lifting said body portion until theA cartridge rests upon its flanged end on said support, substantially asdescribed.

20. The combination with the carrier provided with marginal recesseshaving a main portion of larger diameter than that of the flanged end ofthe cartridge and a passage leading from said main portion to the marginof the carrier, the width of said passage being less than the diameterof the'flanged end of the cartridge but greater than the diameter of thebody portion thereof; of a support for the cartridges below saidcarrier; means for inverting the cartridges in said recesses during thetravel of the carrier; a cartridgechute leading toward the margin of thecarrier to supply cartridges to said recesses; and a guard for thecartridges in said chute, the distance between said guard and the end ofsaid chute being substantially equal to the diameter of the body portionof the cartridge; substantially as and for the purpose described.

21. The combination with the carrier provided with marginal recesseseach having a main portion of larger diameter than that of the flangedend of the cartridge, and a passage leading from said main portion tothe margin of the carrier, the width of said passage being less than thediameter of the flanged end of the cartridge but greater than thediameter of the body portion thereof; of a support for the cartridgebelow said carrier, means for inverting the cartridge in said recessduring the travel of the carrier, a cartridge-chute leading toward themargin of the carrier to supply cartridges to said recesses; a stop forthe cartridges in said chute, the distance between said stop and the endof said chute being substantially equal to the diameter of the bodyportion of the cartridge; and means for inserting the cartridge into thebody of the recess after it has been carried past said stop,substantially as described.

22. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, a traveling carrierto receive cartridges uniformly fed thereto; means for inverting certainof the cartridges as they are forwarded by said carrier, the othercartridges remaining as presented to the carrier; and a clearing deviceto eject all the cartridges from said carrier, substantially asdescribed.

23. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, a traveling carrierto receive cartridges uniformly fed thereto; means for inverting certainof the cartridges as they are forwarded by said carrier; an independentsupport for the inverted cartridges, the non inverted cartridges beingsupported by the carrier; a clearing device to act on .all of thecartridges in the carrier; and a supplemental clearing device for thosecartridges which are inverted and supported on said independent support,substantially as described.

24. In a machine for packing cartridges in boxes, the combination with acarrier to receive cartridges fed thereto; of a traveling member havingparallel passages to receive cartridges from the carrier; means foradvancing said traveling member to successively bring said passages to aposition to receive the cartridges; and a spring-support, stationarywith relation to said traveling member and parallel to said passages, toprevent the cartridges from tipping over as they are moved into saidpassages, substantially as described.

25. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination witharranging devices to arrange a number of cartridges in shape to fit abox; of a forwarding device to receive the cartridges thus arranged andforward the same to the box; means for transferring the cartridges fromthe arranging device to the forwarding device; feed mechanism for saidforwarding device and means for locking said forwarding devicestationary at the end of each feed movement, substantially as described.

26. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination witharranging devices to arrange a number of cartridges in such shape as tofit a box; of a forwarding device to receive the cartridges thusarranged and forward the same to the box; means for transferring thecartridges from the arranging device to the forwarding device; feedmechanism for-said forwarding device, means for locking said forwardingdevice stationary open-ended recesses into which the cartridges arepushed after being arranged guards adjacent to said member to preventthe cartridges from leaving the recesses in the travel thereof; abox-chute adjacent to the path of said recesses; and means foryieldingly supporting a box in said chute in position to receivecartridges projecting from the recesses in said traveling member,substantially as described.

28. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination withmeans for arranging the cartridges to fit the boxes, of a forwardingdevice comprising a rotatable member having one or more recesses adaptedto receive the cartridges arranged for inser- 4 tion into a box, thesaid recesses being of such depth that the cartridges project therefrom,and a box-chute adjacent to said member adapted to present a box in suchposition that the projecting cartridges will engage the inner wallthereof, substantially as described.

29. In a machine for packing cartridges into boxes, the combination withmeans for arranging the cartridges to fit the boxes, of a forwardingdevice comprising a rotatable member having one or more recesses adaptedto receivethe cartridges arranged for insertion into a box, the saidrecesses being of such depth that the cartridges project therefrom, abox-chute following the periphery of said member and terminating belowthe same, the distance between the supporting-wall of said chute and theperiphery of said member being substantially equal to the depth of thebox, and means for yieldingly supporting the box in position to beengaged by the projecting cartridges and carried along thereby until thecartridges settle into the box by force of gravity, substantially asdescribed.

30. In a machine for packing articles into boxes, a supplementalarranging device comprising a member having convergent walls and beingadapted to receive a predetermined number of articles arranged inparallel lines; and means for pushing the lines of articles endwise fromsaid member to compact the articles through the action of the convergentwalls, as set forth.

' 31. A receptacle for lines or columns of cartridges having convergingside walls, combinedwith traveling means for engaging both ends of eachline or column of cartridges to slide said columns endwise from the saidre ceptacle, and to thereby condense or compact the articles forinsertion into a package, substantially as described. at the end of eachfeed movement; and means 32. In a machine for packing articles intoboxes, the combination with a receiver substantially equal in size tothe box to be filled; a receptacle for lines or columns of articles, thewalls of which receptacle converge toward the walls of said receiver;and means for slidg ing said columns endwise from the receptacle,-the-converging walls condensing or compacting the articles as they enterthe receiver,

substantially as described.

the combination with a receptacle having convergent walls andlongitudinal division- 5 strips; of traveling members movable parallelto said division-strips and adapted respectively to engage opposite endsof the lines or columns of cartridges therein, substantially asdescribed. a

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL BUTLER.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. LIVERMORE, NANCY P. FORD.

IIO

